Reward for missing 12-year-old in Gainesville, Georgia

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The Hall County Sheriff's Office has announced a $20,000 reward for the safe return of Maria Gomez-Perez, a missing 12-year-old girl from Gainesville. The reward money is provided by anonymous citizens, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

Authorities said Gomez-Perez was last seen at her Westside Drive home on May 29 and was reported missing the next day. She is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing between 100 and 110 pounds. She has brown eyes and long black hair and is believed to have been wearing a bright blue shirt when last seen.

HCSO and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation continue to search for Gomez-Perez and are seeking information on her whereabouts.

“We hope this cash reward will encourage someone who knows something about Maria's whereabouts to come forward,” Sheriff Gerald Couch said in the release. “Our investigators and investigative partners are following up on every lead they get, but so far, none of those leads have led us to Maria. The concerned citizens offering this reward want what we want: for Maria to return home safe and sound.

Anyone with information regarding Gomez-Perez's disappearance should contact the HCSO Special Investigations Unit at 770-503-3232 or [email protected]. Tips can also be called to 911 or Hall County Dispatch at 770-536-8812.